TDF 2018 - Rest Day 1 - ****SPOILERS****

blazing_saddles

DNFs for tomorrow:

Jens Keukeleire

https://lottosoudal.be/en/news/jens-keu ... ndons-tour

Perhaps more importantly, as it takes Ag2r down to 6 and minus one mountain domestique.

Alexis Vuillermoz.

http://www.radsport-news.com/sport/sportnews_110495.htm

Sorry no English link as yet.

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Sky have been quite clear that Froome is leader and Thomas is the back up. The team will ride for Froome but Thomas won't be expected to contribute.

It gets more complicated if Thomas is in yellow.

If you’re Thomas this is your best shot.

Complicated for Froome to take yellow off Thomas without a Thomas collapse or crash.

No, this is Sky. They'll have no problem attacking their own yellow jersey if they think it's their best chance to win.

tailwindhome

The longer Sky can have Thomas be everyone else's problem and not theirs the better.

bigmat

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Sky have been quite clear that Froome is leader and Thomas is the back up. The team will ride for Froome but Thomas won't be expected to contribute.

It gets more complicated if Thomas is in yellow.

If you’re Thomas this is your best shot.

Complicated for Froome to take yellow off Thomas without a Thomas collapse or crash.

What might be interesting is if Thomas stays within striking distance of Froome leading up to the final TT. I reckon Thomas could take a chunk of time back based on recent form.

above_the_cows

Hey look it's not like Fenton hasn't attacked his yellow jersey wearing team mate before...

inseine

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Sky have been quite clear that Froome is leader and Thomas is the back up. The team will ride for Froome but Thomas won't be expected to contribute.

It gets more complicated if Thomas is in yellow.

If you’re Thomas this is your best shot.

Complicated for Froome to take yellow off Thomas without a Thomas collapse or crash.

Thomas must be hot favorite for yellow tomorrow ?

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Sky have been quite clear that Froome is leader and Thomas is the back up. The team will ride for Froome but Thomas won't be expected to contribute.

It gets more complicated if Thomas is in yellow.

If you’re Thomas this is your best shot.

Complicated for Froome to take yellow off Thomas without a Thomas collapse or crash.

No, this is Sky. They'll have no problem attacking their own yellow jersey if they think it's their best chance to win.

Not that straightforward.

What if it’s not clear cut?

inseine

Blazing Saddles wrote:

DNFs for tomorrow:

How can you be a DNF in the future ?

Lanterne_Rogue

inseine wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Sky have been quite clear that Froome is leader and Thomas is the back up. The team will ride for Froome but Thomas won't be expected to contribute.

It gets more complicated if Thomas is in yellow.

If you’re Thomas this is your best shot.

Complicated for Froome to take yellow off Thomas without a Thomas collapse or crash.

Thomas must be hot favorite for yellow tomorrow ?

In fairness he seems to be doing better in the Tour this year. Apparently he's got some sort of fancy new cycle computer:

mididoctors

PBlakeney wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I want Movistar to treat each mountain day like Quick Step treat one day cobbled races.

I have my doubts about Quintana ever winning a GT. I think he'd be better off chasing the polka dot and stage wins. Less prestige but a higher chance of success. Happy to be proven wrong though.

he has won the giro and the vuelta? ((ymmv on the giro win))

pblakeney

mididoctors wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I want Movistar to treat each mountain day like Quick Step treat one day cobbled races.

I have my doubts about Quintana ever winning a GT. I think he'd be better off chasing the polka dot and stage wins. Less prestige but a higher chance of success. Happy to be proven wrong though.

he has won the giro and the vuelta? ((ymmv on the giro win))

Hands were held up in an earlier post, if you care to read them all.

takethehighroad

I think Quintana's already won 2 Grand Tours

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet x

bobmcstuff

PBlakeney wrote:

mididoctors wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I want Movistar to treat each mountain day like Quick Step treat one day cobbled races.

I have my doubts about Quintana ever winning a GT. I think he'd be better off chasing the polka dot and stage wins. Less prestige but a higher chance of success. Happy to be proven wrong though.

he has won the giro and the vuelta? ((ymmv on the giro win))

Hands were held up in an earlier post, if you care to read them all.

You just need to pretend you meant TdF

No_Ta_Doctor

bobmcstuff wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

mididoctors wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I want Movistar to treat each mountain day like Quick Step treat one day cobbled races.

I have my doubts about Quintana ever winning a GT. I think he'd be better off chasing the polka dot and stage wins. Less prestige but a higher chance of success. Happy to be proven wrong though.

he has won the giro and the vuelta? ((ymmv on the giro win))

Hands were held up in an earlier post, if you care to read them all.

You just need to pretend you meant TdF

What's the point of me sharpening my pitchfork if you're just going to let him off like that?

larkim

NQ was getting a lot of praise for his cobbles ride, struck me it was just like his recent GT mountain performances - anonymous, unambitious, inactive.

At least the sky leaders appeared on the front from time to time, Quintana just seems content to head for the top ten.

pblakeney

No tA Doctor wrote:

bobmcstuff wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

mididoctors wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I want Movistar to treat each mountain day like Quick Step treat one day cobbled races.

I have my doubts about Quintana ever winning a GT. I think he'd be better off chasing the polka dot and stage wins. Less prestige but a higher chance of success. Happy to be proven wrong though.

he has won the giro and the vuelta? ((ymmv on the giro win))

Hands were held up in an earlier post, if you care to read them all.

You just need to pretend you meant TdF

What's the point of me sharpening my pitchfork if you're just going to let him off like that?

Yeah, like, whatevah.

No_Ta_Doctor

larkim wrote:

NQ was getting a lot of praise for his cobbles ride, struck me it was just like his recent GT mountain performances - anonymous, unambitious, inactive.

At least the sky leaders appeared on the front from time to time, Quintana just seems content to head for the top ten.

Harsh to judge him on his absolute least favourite terrain, when he was picked out as the rider most likely to lose on the cobbles. Not saying I don't agree with your description of his mountain rides of late, but just getting through was a good day for him (yes, I do know he did OK last time they rode cobbles and that it's a bit overplayed that he struggles on them).

larkim

Fair point, but I've heard a lot in the ITV coverage of what a "good day" NQ had on the cobbles and it wound me up a little - he had an innocuous day which as you say is an excellent outcome for him, but it just struck me as a little overly-generous to be suggesting he'd riding exceptionally well to achieve that.

above_the_cows

larkim wrote:

NQ was getting a lot of praise for his cobbles ride, struck me it was just like his recent GT mountain performances - anonymous, unambitious, inactive.

At least the sky leaders appeared on the front from time to time, Quintana just seems content to head for the top ten.

I doubt he could appear on the front. He's really little, sitting in the bunch and riding wheels was the best he could physically manage and the most tactically astute thing he could do. If he'd made it to the front he'd have probably killed the pace and caused havoc.

inseine

larkim wrote:

NQ was getting a lot of praise for his cobbles ride, struck me it was just like his recent GT mountain performances - anonymous, unambitious, inactive.

At least the sky leaders appeared on the front from time to time, Quintana just seems content to head for the top ten.

In fairness, the Sky 'leaders' are a fair bit bigger than Quintana and size seem to help on the cobbles. Pretty much the rest of the team crashed and finished well down (I know that was partly by design).
There were other mountain goats that did well too.

markwb79

inseine wrote:

larkim wrote:

NQ was getting a lot of praise for his cobbles ride, struck me it was just like his recent GT mountain performances - anonymous, unambitious, inactive.

At least the sky leaders appeared on the front from time to time, Quintana just seems content to head for the top ten.

In fairness, the Sky 'leaders' are a fair bit bigger than Quintana and size seem to help on the cobbles. Pretty much the rest of the team crashed and finished well down (I know that was partly by design).
There were other mountain goats that did well too.

if GVA is still in yellow at the end of the day he will have had a good ride, regardless if he is leading up the last climb!

larkim

A completely inappropriate question, so I'll bury it in this thread - at the podium ceremonies for the TdF there are usually three women as part of the party - the two women flanking the jersey wearer, and a third, usually tucked away on stage left (viewers right) who has a beautiful smile. Who is she, and what role does she perform? I'm reasonably sure she is there at every podium, and has been for the last couple of years.

Asking for a friend... ;-)